€&e  Hiftrarg 

of  m 

2Jntoer$itg  of  J[3ortt>  Carolina 


The  Sylvester  Hassell  Collection 

FROM  THE   LIBRARY  OF 

Sylvester  Hassell,  D.  D. 

CLASS     OF    '62 

GIVEN   BY    HIS   CHILDREN 


UNIVERSITY 

NORTH  CAROL, 

>— — I  '~ 

tckeel   of    Library 
Science 


THE    SHEPHERD 


SALISBURY    PLAIN 


XjC  :l.  here,  fstke-r,  only  see  how  much  i  have  got  to-ciay  !     S^«  fUgB  If 


EICEMOKD: 

PUBLISHED  BY  E.  THOMPSON  BAIRD, 

SECRETARY   OF   PUBLICATION. 
1011  MAIN -STREET. 

mi. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

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THE   SHEPHERD 


SALISBURY  PLAIN. 


Mr.  Johnson,  a  very  worthy,  charitable 
gentleman,  was  travelling  some  time  ago 
across  one  of  those  vast  plains,  which  are  well 
known  in  Wiltshire.  It  was  a  fine  summer's 
evening,  and  he  rode  slowly,  that  he  might 
have  leisure  to  admire  God  in  the  works  of 
his  creation.  For  this  gentleman  was  of 
opinion,  that  a  walk  or  a  ride  was  as  proper 
a  time  as  any  to  think  about  good  things;  for 
which  reason,  on  such  occasions,  he  seldom 
thought  so  much  about  his  money,  or  his  trade, 
or  public  news,  as  at  other  times,  that  he  might 
with  mere  ease  and  satisfaction  enjoy  the  pi- 
ous thoughts,  which  the  visible  works  ot  the 
great  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth  are  intended 
to  raise  in  the  mind. 


2  SHEPHERD  OF 

His  attention  was  all  of  a  sudden  called  off 
by  the  barking  of  a  shepherd's  dog,  and  look- 
ing up,  he  espied  one  of  those  little  huts,  which 
are  here  and  there  to  be  seen  on  those  great 
downs;  and  near  it  was  the  shepherd  himself, 
busily  emploj^ed,  with  his  dog,  in  collecting 
together  his  vast  flock  of  sheep.  As  he  drew 
nearer,  he  perceived  him  to  be  a  clean,  well 
looking,  poor  man,  near  fifty  years  of  age. 
His  coat,  though  at  first  it  had  probably  been 
of  one  dark  colour,  had  been,  in  a  long  course 
of  years,  so  often  patched  with  different  sorts 
of  cloth,  that  it  was  now  become  hard  to  say 
which  had  been  the  original  colour.  But 
this,  while  it  gave  a  plain  proof  of  the  shep- 
herd's poverty,  equally  proved  the  exceeding 
neatness,  industry,  and  good  management  of 
his  wife.  His  stockings  no  less  proved  her 
good  housewifery,  for  they  were  entirely 
covered  with  darns  of  different  coloured  wors- 
ted, but  had  not  a  hole  in  them :  and  his  shirt, 
though  nearly  as  coarse  as  the  sails  of  a  ship, 
was  as  white  as  the  drifted  snow,  and  was 
neatly  mended  where  time  had  either  made 
a  rent,  or  worn  it  thin.  This  furnishes  a  rule 
of  judging,  by  which  one  shall  seldom  be  de- 
ceived. If  I  meet  with  a  labourer  hedging, 
ditching,  or  mending  the  highways,  with  his 
stockings  and  shirt  tight  and  whole,  however 
mean  and  bad  his  other  garments  are,  I  have 
seldom  failed,  on  visiting  his  cottage,  to  find 
that  also  clean  and  well  ordered,  and  his 
wife  notable,  and  worthy  of  encouragement 


SALISBURY  PLAIN.  3 

Whereas  a  poor  woman,  who  will  be  lying 
abed,  or  gossipping  with  her  neighbours,  when 
she  ought  to  be  fitting  out  her  husband  in  a 
cleanly  manner,  will  seldom  be  found  to  be 
very  good  in  other  respects. 

This  was  not  the  case  with  our  shepherd ; 
and  Mr.  Johnson  was  not  more  struck  with 
the  decency  of  his  mean  and  frugal  dress, 
than  with  his  open,  honest  countenance,  which 
bore  strong  marks  of  health,  cheerfulness, 
and  spirit. 

Mr.  Johnson,  who  was  on  a  journey,  and 
somewhat  fearful,  from  the  appearance  of  the 
sky,  that  rain  was  at  no  great  distance,  ac- 
costed the  shepherd  with  asking  what  sort  of 
weather  he  thought  it  would  be  on  the  morrow. 
It  will  be  such  weather  as  pleases  me,  an- 
swered the  shepherd.  Though  the  answer 
was  delivered  in  the  mildest  and  civilest  tone 
that  could  be  imagined,  the  gentleman  thought 
the  words  themselves  rather  rude  and  surly, 
and  asked  him  how  that  could  be  1  Because, 
replied  the  shepherd,  it  will  be  such  weather 
as  shall  please  God,  and  whatever  pleases 
him  always  pleases  me. 

Mr.  Johnson,  who  delighted  in  good  men 
and  good  things,  was  very  wTell  satisfied  with 
his  reply.  For  he  justly  thought,  that  though 
a  hypocrite  may  easily  contrive  to  appear 
better  than  he  really  is,  to  a  stranger,  and 
that  no  one  should  be  too  soon  trusted,  mere- 
ly for  having  a  few  good  words  in  his  mouth  ; 
yet  as  he  knew  that  "  out  of  the  abundance 


4  SHEPHERD  OF 

of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh,"  he  always 
accustomed  himself  to  judge  favourably  of 
those  who  had  a  serious  deportment  and  solid 
manner  of  speaking.  It  looks  as  if  it  pro- 
ceeded from  a  good  habit,  said  he,  and  though 
I  may  now  and  then  be  deceived  by  it,  yet  it 
has  not  often  happened  to  me  to  be  so.  Where- 
as, if  a  man  accosts  me  with  an  idle,  dissolute, 
vulgar,  indecent,  or  profane  expression,  I 
have  never  been  deceived  in  him,  but  have 
generally,  on  inquiry,  found  his  character  to 
be  as  bad  as  his  language  gave  me  room  to 
expect. 

He  entered  into  conversation  with  the  shep- 
herd in  the  following  manner: — Yours  is  a 
troublesome  life,  honest  friend,  said  he.  To 
be  sure,  sir,  replied  the  shepherd,  'tis  not  a 
very  lazy  life ;  but  'tis  not  near  so  toilsome 
as  that  which  my  great  Master  led  for  my 
sake  :  and  he  had  every  state  and  condition 
of  life  at  his  choice,  and  chose  a  hard  one  ; 
while  I  only  submit  to  the  lot  that  is  appoint- 
ed me.  You  are  exposed  to  great  cold  and 
heat,  said  the  gentleman ;  true,  sir,  said  the 
shepherd  ;  but  then  I  am  not  exposed  to  great 
temptations ;  and  so  throwing  one  thing  against 
another,  God  is  pleased  to  contrive  to  make 
things  more  equal  than  we  poor,  ignorant, 
short-sighted  creatures,  are  apt  to  think. 
David  was  happier  when  he  kept  his  father's 
sheep  on  such  a  plain  as  this,  and  employed 
in  singing  some  of  his  own  psalms,  perhaps, 
than  ever  he  was  when  he  became  king  of 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  5 

Israel  and  Judah.  And  I.  dare  say,  we  should 
never  have  had  some  of  tue  most  beautiful 
texts  in  all  those  fine  psalms,  if  he  had  not 
been  a  shepherd,  which  enabled  him  to  make 
so  many  fine  comparisons  and  similitudes,  as 
one  may  say,  from  country  life,  flocks  of  sheep, 
hills  and  valleys,  and  fountains  of  water. 

You  think  then,  said  the  gentleman,  that  a 
laborious  life  is  a  happy  one.  I  do,  sir,  and 
more  so  especially,  as  it  exposes  a  man  to 
fewer  sins.  If  King  Saul  had  continued  a 
poor  laborious  man  to  the  end  of  his  days,  he 
might  have  lived  happy  and  honest,  and  died 
a  natural  death  in  his  bed  at  last,  which  you 
know,  sir,  was  more  than  he  did.  But  I. 
speak  with  reverence,  for  it  was  Divine  Pro- 
vidence overruled  all  that,  you  know,  sir,  and 
I  do  not  presume  to  make  comparisons. — 
Beside,  sir,  my  employment  has  been  par- 
ticularly honoured.  Moses  was  a  shepherd 
in  the  plain  of  Midian.  It  was  to  •'  shep- 
herds keeping  their  flocks  by  night,"  that  the 
angels  appeared  in  Bethlehem,  to  tell  the 
best  news,  the  gladdest  tidings,  that  ever  were 
revealed  to  poor,  sinful  men ;  often  and  often 
has  the  thought  warmed  my  poor  heart  in  the 
coldest  night,  and  filled  me  with  more  joy  and 
thankfulness  than  the  best  supper  could  have 
done. 

Here  the  shepherd  stopped,  for  he  began  to 
feel  that  he  had  made  too  free,  and  had  talk- 
ed too  long.  But  Mr.  Johnson  was  so  well 
pleased  with  what  he  said,  and  with  the  cheer- 


$  SHEPHERD    OF 

fill,  contented  manner,  in  which  he  said  it, 
that  he  desired  him  to  go  on  freely,  for  that 
it  was  a  pleasure  to  him  to  meet  with  a  plain 
man,  who,  without  any  kind  of  learning  but 
what  he  got  from  the  Bible,  was  able  to  talk 
so  well  on  a  subject,  in  which  all  men,  high 
and  low,  rich  and  poor,  are  equally  con- 
cerned. 

Indeed  I  am  afraid  I  make  too  bold,  sir,  for 
it  better  becomes  me  to  listen  to  such  a  gen- 
tleman, as  you  seem  to  be,  than  to  talk  in 
my  poor  way;  but  as  I  was  saying,  sir,  1 
wonder  all  working  men  do  not  derive  as 
great  joy  and  delight,  as  I  do,  from  thinking 
how  God  has  honoured  poverty !  O  !  sir, 
what  great,  or  rich,  or  mighty  men  have  had 
such  honour  put  on  them,  or  their  conditions, 
as  shepherds,  tent  makers,  fishermen,  and 
carpenters  have  had. 

My  honest  friend,  said  the  gentleman,  I 
perceive  you  are  well  acquainted  with  Scrip- 
ture. Yes,  sir,  pretty  well,  blessed  be  God ! 
through  his  mercy  I  learned  to  read,  when  1 
was  a  little  boy ;  though  reading  was  not  so 
common  when  I  was  a  child,  as  I  am  told, 
through  the  goodness  of  Providence,  and  the 
generosity  of  the  rich,  it  is  likely  to  become 
now-a-days.  I  believe  there  is  no  day  for 
the  last  thirty  years,  that  1  have  not  peeped 
at  my  Bible.  If  we  can't  find  time  to  read  a 
chapter,  I  defy  any  man  to  say  he  can't  find 
time  to  read  a  verse ;  and  a  single  text,  sir, 
well  followed  and  put  in  practice  every  day 


SALISBURY   PLAIN.  7 

would  make  no  bad  figure  at  the  year's  end ; 
three  hundred  and  sixty-live  texts  without  the 
loss  of  a  moment's  time,  would  make  a 
pretty  stock,  a  little  golden  treasury,  as  one 
may  say,  from  new  year's  day  to  new  year's 
day ;  and  if  children  were  brought  up  to  it 
they  would  come  to  look  for  their  texts  as 
naturally  as  they  do  for  their  breakfast.  No 
labouring  man,  it  is  true,  has  so  much  leisure 
as  a  shepherd  ;  for  while  the  flock  is  feeding, 
I  am  obliged  to  be  still,  and  at  such  times  I 
can  now  and  then  tap  a  shoe  for  my  children 
or  myself,  which  is  a  great  saving  to  us  ;  and 
while  I  am  doing  that  I  repeat  a  bit  of  a  chap- 
ter, which  makes  the  time  pass  pleasantly  in 
this  wild  solitary  place.  I  can  say  the  best 
part  of  the  Bible  by  heart ;  I  believe  I  should 
not  say  the  best  part,  for  every  part  is  good, 
but  I  mean  the  greatest  part.  I  have  led  but 
a  lonely  life,  and  have  often  had  but  little  to 
eat ;  but  my  Bible  has  been  meat,  drink,  and 
company  to  me,  as  I  may  say,  and  when 
want  and  trouble  have  come  upon  me,  I  don't 
know  what  I  should  have  done,  indeed,  sir,  if 
I  had  not  had  the  promises  of  this  book  for  my 
stay  and  support. 

You  have  had  great  difficulties  then,  said 
Mr.  Johnson.  Why,  as  to  that,  sir,  not  more 
than  neighbour's  fare ;  I  have  but  little  cause 
to  complain,  and  much  to  be  thankful ;  but  I 
have  had  some  struggles,  as  I  will  leave  you 
to  judge.  I  have  a  wife  and  eight  children, 
whom  I  bred  up  in  that  little  cottage,  which 


S>  SHEPHERD  OF 

you.  see  under  the  hill,  about  half  u  mile  off. 
What,  that  with  the  smoke  coming  out  of  the 
chimney'?  O  no,  sir,  replied  the  shepherd, 
smiling,  we  have  seldom  smoke  in  the  even- 
ing, for  we  have  little  to  cook,  and  firing  is 
very  dear  in  these  parts.  'Tis  that  cottage 
which  you  see  on  the  left  hand  of  the  chu.ch, 
near  that  little  tuft  of  hawthorns.  What,  that 
hovel  with  only  one  room  above  and  below, 
with  scarcely  any  chimney  1  How  is  it  possi- 
ble you  can  live  there  with  such  a  family'? 
O !  it  is  very  possible  and  very  certain  too,~ 
cried  the  shepherd.  How  many  better  men 
have  been  worse  lodged !  how  many  good 
Christians  have  perished  in  prisons  and  dun- 
geons, in  comparison  of  which  my  cottage  is  a 
palace  !  The  house  is  very  well,  sir,  and  if  the 
rain  did  not  sometimes  beat  down  upon  us 
through  the  thatch  when  we  are  abed,  I  should 
not  desire  a  better ;  for  I  have  health,  peace, 
and  liberty,  and  no  man  maketh  me  afraid. 

Well,  I  will  certainly  call  upon  you  before 
it  be  long  :  but  how  can  you  contrive  to  lodge 
so  many  children  %  We  do  the  best  we  can, 
sir.  My  poor  wife  is  a  very  sickly  woman, 
or  we  should  always  have  done  tolerably 
well.  There  are  no  gentry  in  the  parish,  so 
that  she  has  not  met  with  any  great  assistance 
in  her  sickness.  The  good  curate  of  the  parish, 
who  lives  in  that  pretty  parsonage  in  the  val- 
ley, is  very  willing,  but  not  very  able  to  assist  us 
on  these  trying  occasions,  for  he  has  little 
enough   for  himself,  and  a  large  family  into 


SALISBURY'   PLAIN.  9 

the  bargain.  Yet  he  does  what  he  can,  and 
more  than  many  richer  men  do,  and  more 
than  he  can  well  afford.  Beside  that,  his 
prayers  and  good  advice,  w*»  are  always  sure 
of.  and  we  are  truly  thanitful  for  that ;  for 
a  man  must  give,  you  know,  sir,  according 
to  what  he  hath,  and  not  according  to  what  he 
hath  not. 

Are  you  in  any  distress,  at  present?  said 
Mr.  Johnson.  No  sir,  thank  God,  replied 
the  shepherd.  I  get  my  shilling  a  day, 
and  most  of  my  children  will  soon  be  able  to 
earn  something ;  for  we  have  only  three  under 
five  years  old.  Only  !  said  the  gentleman  ; 
that  is  a  heavy  burden.  Not  at  all ;  God  fits 
the  back  to  it.  Though  my  wife  is  not  able 
to  do  any  out-of-door  work,  yet  she  breeds  up 
ner  children  to  such  habits  of  industry,  that 
our  little  maids  before  they  are  six  years  old, 
can  first  get  a  halfpenny  and  then  a  penny  a 
day  by  knitting.  The  boys,  who  are  too  little 
to  do  hard  work,  get  a  trifle  by  keeping  the 
birds  off  the  corn ;  for  this  the  farmers  will 
give  them  a  penny  or  two  pence,  and  now  and 
then  a  bit  of  bread  and  cheese  into  the  bargain. 
When  the  season  of  crow  keeping  is  over, 
then  they  glean,  or  pick  stones ;  any  thing  is 
better  than  idleness,  sir ;  and  if  they  did  not 
get  a  farthing  by  it,  I  would  make  them  do  it 
just  the  same,  for  the  sake  of  giving  them 
early  habits  of  labour. 

So  you  see,  sir,  I  am  not  so  badly  oft'  as 
many  are  ;  nay,  if  it  were  not  that  it  cost  me 


10  SHEPHERD  OF 

so  much  in  pothecary's  stuff,  for  my  poor 
wife,  I  should  reckon  myself  well  off;  nay,  1 
do  reckon  myself  well  off;  for,  blessed  be  God, 
he  has  granted  her  life  to  my  prayers,  and 
I  would  work  myself  to  a  'natomy,  and  live 
on  one  meal  a  day,  to  add  any  comfort  to.  her 
valuable  life :  indeed  I  have  often  done  the 
last,   and  thought  it  no  great  matter  neither. 

While  they  were  in  this  part  c  the  dis- 
course, a  fine,  plump,  cherry-cheeked  little 
girl  ran  up  out  of  breath,  with  a  smile  on  her 
young  happy  face,  and  without  taking  any 
notice  of  the  gentleman,  cried  out  with  great 
joy — Look  here,  father,  only  see  how  much  1 
have  got  to-day '  Mr.  Johnson  was  much  struck 
with  her  simplicity,  but  puzzled  to  know  what 
was  the  occasion  of  this  great  joy.  On  looking 
at  her  he  perceived  a  small  quantity  of  coarse 
wool,  some  of  wThich  had  found  its  wTay  through 
the  holes  of  her  clean,  but  scanty  and  ragged 
wToollen  apron.  The  father  said,  this  has  been 
a  successful  day  indeed.  Molly,  but  don't  you 
see  the  gentleman?  Molly  now  made  a  low 
curtsy  down  to  the  very  ground;  while  Mr. 
Johnson  inquired  into  the  cause  of  the  mutual 
satisfaction  which  both  father  and  daughter 
had  expressed  at  the  unusual  good  fortune  of 
the  day. 

Sir,  said  the  shepherd,  poverty  is  a  great 
sharpener  of  the  wits.  My  wife  and  I  cannot 
endure  to  see  our  children  (poor  as  they  are) 
without  shoes  and  stockings,  not  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  pinching  cold,  which  cramps  their 


SALISBURY  PLAIN.  11 

poor  little  limbs,  but  because  it  degrades  and 
debases  them  :  and  poor  people,  who  Lave  but 
little  regard  to  appearances,  will  seldom  be 
found  to  have  any  great  regard  to  honesty  and 
goodness  :  I  don't  say  this  is  always  the  case  : 
but  I  am  sure  it  is  so  too  often.  Now  shoes 
and  stockings  being  very  dear,  we  never  could 
afford  to  get  them  without  a  little  contrivance. 
I  must  show  you  how  I  manage  about  the 
shoes,  when  you  condescend  to  call  at  our 
cottage,  sir :  as  to  the  stockings,  this  is  one 
way  we  take  to  help  to  get  them.  My  young 
ones,  who  are  too  little  to  do  much  work, 
sometimes  wander  at  odd  hours  over  the  hills 
for  the  chance  of  finding  what  little  wool  the 
sheep  may  drop  when  they  rub  themselves,  as 
they  are  apt  to  do,  against  the  bushes.* — 
These  scattered  bits  of  wool  the  children  pick 
jp  out  of  the  brambles,  which  I  see  have  torn 
sad  holes  in  Molly's  apron  to-day  ;  they  carry 
this  wool  home,  and  when  they  have  got  a 
pretty  parcel  together,  their  mother  cards  it; 
for  she  can  sit  and  card  in  the  chimney  corner, 
when  she  is  not  able  to  wash,  or  work  about 
house.  The  biggest  girl  then  spins  it :  it  does 
very  well  for  us  without  dying,  for  poor  peo- 
ple must  not  stand  for  the  colour  of  their 
stockings.  After  this  our  little  boys  knit  in 
for  themselves,  while  they  are  employed  in 
keeping  cows  in  the  fields,  and  after  they  get 

*  This  piece  of  frugal  industry  is  not  imaginary,  but 
a  real  fact,  as  is  the  character  of  the  shepherd,  and  his 
uncommon  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures. 


12  SHEPHERD    OF 

home  at  night.  As  for  the  knitting  the  girls 
and  their  mother  do,  that  is  chiefly  for  sale, 
which  helps  to  pay  our  rent. 

Mr.  Johnson  lifted  up  his  eyes  in  silent  as- 
tonishment, at  the  shifts  which  honest  poverty 
can  make,  rather  than  beg  or  steal :  and  was 
surprised  to  think  how  many  ways  of  subsist- 
ing there  are,  which  those  who  live  at  their 
ease,  little  suspect.  He  secretly  resolved  to 
be  more  attentive  to  his  own  petty  expenses, 
than  he  had  hitherto  been ;  and  to  be  more 
watchful  that  nothing  was  wasted  in  his 
family. 

But  to  return  to  the  shepherd.  Mr.  John- 
son told  him,  that,  as  he  must  needs  be  at  his 
friend's  house,  who  lived  many  miles  off",  that 
night,  he  could  not,  as  he  wished  to  do,  make  a 
visit  to  his  cottage  at  present.  But  I  will 
certainly  do  it,  said  he,  on  my  return,  for  I 
long  to  see  your  wife  and  her  nice  little  fami- 
ly, and  to  be  an  eye  witness  of  her  neatness 
and  good  management.  The  poor  man's 
tears  started  into  his  eyes  on  hearing  the 
commendation  bestowed  on  his  wife ;  and 
wiping  them  off  with  the  sleeve  of  his  coat, 
for  he  was  not  worth  a  hankerchief  in  the 
world,  he  said — O,  sir,  you  just  now,  I  am 
afraid,  called  me  an  humble  man,  but  indeed 
I  am  a  very  proud  one.  Proud!  exclaimed 
Mr.  Johnson,  I  hope  not — pride  is  a  great 
sin,  and  as  the  poor  are  liable  to  it,  as  well 
as  the  rich,  so  good  a  man  as  you  seem  to  be, 
ought  to  guard  against  it.     Sir,  said  he,  yon 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  13 

are  right,  but  I  am  not  proud  of  myself;  God 
knows  I  have  nothing  to  be  proud  of.  I  am 
a  poor  sinner;  but  indeed,  sir,  I  am  proud  of 
my  wife;  she  is  not  only  the  most  tidy,  no- 
table woman  on  the  plain,  but  she  is  the  kind- 
est wife  and  mother,  and  the  most  contented, 
thankful  Christian  that  I  know.  Last  year  I 
thought  I  should  have  lost  her  in  a  violent  fit 
of  the  rheumatism,  caught  by  going  to  work 
too  soon  after  lying  in,  I  fear :  for  'tis  but  a 
bleak,  coldish  place,  as  you  may  see,  sir,  in 
winter,  and  sometimes  the  snow  lies  so  long 
under  the  hill  that  I  can  hardly  make  myself 
a  path  to  get  out  and  buy  a  few  necessaries 
in  the  next  village  :  and  we  are  afraid  to  send 
out  the  children,  for  fear  they  should  be  lost 
when  the  snow  is  deep.  So,  as  I  was  saying, 
the  poor  soul  was  very  bad  indeed,  and  for 
several  weeks  lost  the  use  of  all  her  limbs 
except  her  hands ;  a  merciful  Providence 
spared  her  the  use  of  these,  so  that  when 
she  could  not  turn  in  her  bed,  she  could  con- 
trive to  patch  a  rag  or  two  for  her  family. 
She  was  always  saying,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
great  goodness  of  God,  she  might  have  had  her 
hands  lame,  as  well  as  her  feet,  or  the  palsy 
instead  of  the  rheumatism,  and  then  she  could 
have  done  nothing;  but  nobody  had  so  many 
mercies  as  she  had. 

I  will  not  tell  you  what  we  suffered  during 
the  bitter  weather,  sir,  but  my  wife's  faith  and 
patience,  during  that  trying  time,  were  as 
good  a  lesson  to  me,  as  any  sermon  I  could 


14  SHEPHERD    OF 

hear,  and  yet  Mr.  Jenkins  gave  us  very  comfor- 
table ones  too,  that  helped  to  keep  up  my  spirits. 

One  Sunday  afternoon,  when  my  wife  was 
at  the  worst,  as  I  was  coming  out  of  church, 
(for  I  went  one  part  of  the  day,  and  my  eldest 
daughter  the  other,  so  my  poor  wife  was  never 
left  alone :)  as  I  was  coming  out  of  church, 
I  say,  Mr.  Jenkins,  the  minister,  called  out  to 
me,  and  asked  me  how  my  wife  did,  saying 
he  had  been  kept  from  coming  to  see  her  by 
the  deep  fall  of  snow :  and  indeed  from  the 
parsonage  house  to  my  hovel  it  was  quite  im- 
passable. I  gave  him  all  the  particulars  he 
asked,  and  I  am  afraid  a  good  many  more, 
for  my  heart  was  quite  full.  He  kindly  gave 
me  a  shilling,  and  said  he  would  certainly  try 
to  pick  out  his  way,  and  come  and  see  her 
•ii  a  day  or  two. 

While  he  was  talking  to  me,  a  plain,  farmer- 
looking  gentleman,  in  boots,  who  stood  by, 
listened  to  all  I  said,  but  seemed  to  take  no 
notice.  It  was  Mr.  Jenkins's  wife's  father, 
who  was  come  to  pass  the  Christmas  holidays 
at  the  parsonage  house.  I  had  always  heard 
him  spoken  of  as  a  plain,  frugal  man,  who 
lived  close  himself,  but  was  remarked  to  give 
away  more  than  any  of  his  show-away  neigh- 
bours. 

Well !  I  went  home  with  great  spirits  at  this 
seasonable  and  unexpected  supply :  for  we 
had  tapped  our  last  sixpence,  and  there  was 
little  work  to  be  had  on  account  of  the  weath- 
er,    I   told  my  wife  I  had  not  come   back 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  15 

empty  handed.  No,  I  dare  say  not,  says  she, 
you  have  been  serving  a  Master  "who  nlleth 
the  hungry  with  good  things,  though  he  sendeth 
the  rich  empty  away."  True,  Mary,  said  I, 
we  seldom  fail  to  get  good  spiritual  food  from 
Mr.  Jenkins,  but  to-day  he  has  kindly  suppli 
ed  our  bodily  wants.  She  was  more  thankful 
when  I  showed  her  the  shilling,  than  I  dare 
say  some  of  you  great  people  are  when  they 
get  a  hundred  pounds. 

Mr.  Johnson's  heart  smote  him,  when  he 
heard  such  a  value  set  upon  a  shilling,-  sure- 
ly, said  he  to  himself,  I  will  never  waste  anoth- 
er ;  but  he  said  nothing  to  the  shepherd,  who 
thus  pursued  his  story. 

Next  morning  before  I  went  out,  I  sent 
part  of  the  money  to  buy  a  little  ale  and 
brown  sugar,  to  put  into  her  water  gruel; 
which  you  know,  sir,  made  it  nice  and 
nourishing.  I  went  out  to  cleave  wood 
in  a  farm  yard,  for  there  was  no  standing 
out  on  the  plain,  after  such  a  snow  as  had 
fallen  in  the  night.  I  went  with  a  lighter 
heart  than  usual,  because  I  had  left  my  poor 
wife  a  little  better,  and  comfortably  sup- 
plied for  this  day,  and  I  now  resolved  more 
than  ever  to  trust  God  for  the  supplies  of  the 
next.  When  I  came  back  at  night,  my  wife 
fell  a  crying,  as  soon  as  she  saw  me.  This,  I 
own,  I  thought  but  a  bad  return  for  the  bless- 
ing she  had  so  lately  received,  and  so  I  told 
her.  O,  said  she,  it  is  too  much,  we  are  too 
rich  ;  I  am  now  frightened,  not  lest  we  should 


16  SHEPHERD    OF 

have  no  portion  in  this  world,  but  for  fear  we 
should  have  our  whole  portion  in  it.  Look 
here,  John !  So  saying,  she  uncovered  the 
bed  whereon  she  lay,  and  showed  me  two 
warm,  thick,  new  blankets.  I  could  not  be- 
lieve my  own  eyes,  sir,  because  when  I  went 
out  in  the  morning,  I  had  left  her  with  no 
other  covering  than  our  little  old  blue  rug.  I 
was  still  more  amazed  when  she  put  half  a 
crown  into  my  hand,  telling  me  she  had  had 
d  visit  from  Mr.  Jenkins,  and  Mr.  Jones,  the 
latter  of  whom  had  bestowed  all  these  good 
things  upon  us.  Thus,  sir,  have  our  lives  been 
crowned  with  mercies.  My  wife  got  about 
again,  and  I  do  believe,  under  Providence,  it 
was  owing  to  these  comforts  ;  for  the  rheuma- 
tism, sir,  without  blankets  by  night  and  flannel 
by  day,  is  but  a  baddish  job,  especially  to 
people  who  have  but  little  or  no  fire.  She 
will  always  be  a  weakly  body;  but,  thank 
God,  her  soul  prospers,  and  is  in  health.  But 
I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  for  talking  on  at  this  rate. 
Not  at  all,  not  at  all,  said  Mr.  Johnson :  I  am 
much  pleased  with  your  stoiy;  you  shall 
certainly  see  me  in  a  few  days.  Good  night. 
So  saying,  he  slipped  a  crown  into  his  hand 
and  rode  off.  Surely,  said  the  shepherd, 
"  goodnesc  and  mercy  have  followed  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life,"  as  he  gave  the  money  to  his 
wife  when  he  got  home  at  night. 

As  to  Mr.  Johnson,  he  found  abundant  mat- 
ter for  his  thoughts  during  the  rest  of  the  jour- 
ney.    On  the  whole  he  was  more  disposed  to 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  17 

envy  than  to  pity  the  shepherd.  I  have  sel- 
dom seen,  said  he,  so  happy  a  man.  It  is  a 
sort  of  happiness,  which  the  world  could  not 
give,  and  which  I  plainly  see,  it  has  not  been 
able  to  take  away.  This  must  be  the  true 
spirit  of  religion.  I  see  more  and  more  that 
true  goodness  is  not  merely  a  thing  of  words 
and  opinions,  but  a  living  principle  broughtinto 
every  common  action  of  a  man's  life.  What 
else  could  have  supported  this  poor  couple 
under  every  bitter  trial  of  want  and  sickness  % 
No,  my  honest  shepherd,  I  do  not  pity,  but 
respect  and  even  honour  thee ;  and  I  will 
visit  thy  poor  hovel  on  my  return  to  Salis- 
bury with  as  much  pleasure,  as  I  am  now  go- 
ing to  the  house  of  my  friend. 

If  Mr.  Johnson  keeps  his  word  in  sending 
me  the  account  of  his  visit  to  the  shepherd's 
cottage,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  entertain  my 
readers  with  it. 


PART  II. 

I  am  willing  to  hope,  that  my  readers  will 
not  be  sorry  to  hear  some  farther  particulars 
of  their  old  acquaintance,  The  Shepherd  of 
Salisbury  Plain.  They  will  call  to  mind, 
that  at  the  end  of  the  first  part,  he  was  return- 
ing home,  full  of  gratitude  for  the  favours  he 
had  received  from  Mr.  Johnson,  whom  he 
left  pursuing  his  journey,  after  having  pro- 
mised to  make  a  visit  to  the  shepherd's  cottage, 


[%  SHEPHERD    OF 

Mr.  Johnson,  after  having  passed  some  time 
with  his  friend,  set  out  on  his  return  to  Salis- 
bury, and  on  the  Saturday  evening  reached  a 
very  small  inn,  a  mile  or  two  distant  from  the 
shepherd's  village ;  for  he  never  travelled  on 
a  Sunday.  He  went  next  morning  to  the 
church  nearest  the  house  where  he  had  pass- 
ed the  night ;  and  after  taking  such  refresh- 
ment as  he  could  get  at  that  house,  he  walked 
on  to  rind  out  the  shepherd's  cottage.  His 
reason  for  visiting  him  on  Sunday,  was  chief- 
ly because  he  supposed  it  to  be  the  only  day 
which  the  shepherd's  employment  allowed 
him  to  pass  at  home  with  his  family,  and  as 
Mr.  Jonhson  had  been  struck  with  his  talk,  he 
thought  it  would  be  neither  unpleasant  nor 
unprofitable  to  observe,  how  a  man,  who  car- 
ried such  an  appearance  of  piety,  spent  his 
Sunday ;  for,  though  he  was  so  low  in  the 
world,  this  gentleman  was  not  above  enter- 
ing very  closely  into  his  character,  of  which 
he  thought  he  should  be  able  to  form  a  bet- 
ter judgment,  by  seeing  whether  his  prac- 
tice at  home  kept  pace  with  his  profes- 
sions abroad.  For  it  is  not  so  much  by 
observing  how  people  talk,  as  how  they 
live,  that  we  ought  to  judge  of  their  charac- 
ters. 

After  a  pleasant  walk,  Mr.  Johnson  got 
within  sight  of  the  cottage,  to  which  he  was 
directed  by  the  clump  of  hawthorns  and  the 
broken  chimney.  He  wished  to  take  the 
family  by  surprise ;  and  walking  gently  up  to 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  19 

the  house,  he  stood  awhile  to  listen.  The 
door  being  half  open,  "he  saw  the  shepherd, 
(who  looked  so  respectable  in  his  Sunday 
coat,  that  he  should  hardly  have  known  him,) 
his  wife,  and  their  numerous  family,  drawing 
round  their  little  table,  which  was  covered 
with  a  clean,  though  very  coarse  cloth. — 
There  stood  on  it  a  large  dish  of  potatoes,  a 
brown  pitcher,  and  a  piece  of  a  coarse  loaf. 
The  wife  and  children  stood  in  silent  atten- 
tion, while  the  shepherd,  with  uplifted  hands 
and  eyes,  devoutly  begged  the  blessing  of 
Heaven  on  the  homely  fare.  Mr.  Johnson 
could  not  help  sighing  to  reflect,  that  he  had 
sometimes  seen  better  dinners  eaten  with  less 
appearance  of  thankfulness. 

The  shepherd  and  his  wife  then  sat  down 
with  great  seeming  cheerfulness,  but  the  chil- 
dren stood;  and  while  the  mother  was  helping 
them,  little  fresh-coloured  Moll,  who  had  pick- 
ed the  wool  from  the  bushes  with  so  much  de- 
light, cried  out,  Father,  I  wish  I  was  big 
enough  to  say  grace,  I  am  sure  I  should  say 
it  very  heartily  to-day,  for  I  was  thinking, 
what  must  poor  people  do,  who  have  no  salt 
to  their  potatoes,  and  do  but  look,  our  dish 
is  quite  full.  That  is  the  true  way  of  think- 
ing, Molly,  said  the  father ;  in  whatever  con- 
cerns bodily  wants,  and  bodily  comfort,  it  is  our 
duty  to  compare  our  own  lot  with  the  lot  of 
those,  who  are  worse  off,  and  this  will  keep  us 
thankful.  On  the  other  hand,  whenever  we 
are  tempted  to  set  up  our  own  wisdom   or 


20  SHEPHERD    OP 

goodness,  we  must  compare  om  selves  with 
those  who  are  wiser  and  better,  and  that  will 
keep  us  humble.  Molly  was  now  so  hungry, 
and  found  the  potatoes  so  good,  that  she  had 
no  time  to  make  any  more  remarks  ■  but  was 
devouring  her  dinner  very  heartily,  when  the 
barking  of  the  great  dog  drew  her  attention 
from  her  trencher  to  the  door,  and  spying 
the  stranger,  she  cried  out,  Look,  father,  see 
here,  is  not  that  the  good  gentleman.?  Mr. 
Johnson  finding  himself  discovered,  imme- 
diately walked  in,  and  was  heartily  welcom- 
ed by  the  honest  shepherd,  who  told  his  wife 
that  this  was  the  gentleman  to  whom  they 
were  so  much  obliged. 

The  good  woman  began,  as  some  very  neat 
people  are  rather  too  apt  to  do,  with  making 
many  apologies,  that  her  house  was  not  clean- 
er, and  that  things  were  not  in  fitter  order  to 
receive  such  a  gentleman.  Mr.  Johnson, 
however,  on  looking  round  could  discover 
nothing  but  the  most  perfect  neatness.  The 
trenchers  on  which  they  were  eating  were 
almost  as  white  as  their  linen ;  and  notwith 
standing  the  number  and  smallness  of  the 
children,  there  was  not  the  least  appearance 
of  dirt  or  litter.  The  furniture  was  very 
simple  and  poor,  hardly  indeed  amounting  to 
bare  necessaries.  It  consisted  of  four  brown 
wooden  chairs,  which,  by  constant  rubbing, 
were  become  as  bright  as  a  looking  glass  , 
an  iron  pot  and  kettle  ;  a  poor  old  grate,  which 
scarcely  held  a  handful  of  coal3  and  out  of 


gALISBURY    PLAIN.  21 

which  the  little  fire  that  had  been  in  it  appear- 
ed to  have  been  taken,  as  soon  as  it  had  an 
swered  the  end  for  which  it  had  been  lighted, 
that  of  boiling  their  potatoes.  Over  the  chim- 
ney stood  an  old-fashioned  broad  bright  can- 
dlestick, and  a  still  brighter  spit ;  it  was  pretty- 
clear  that  this  last  was  kept  rather  for  orna- 
ment than  use.  An  old  carved  elbow  chair, 
and  a  chest  of  the  same  date,  which  stood  in 
the  corner,  were  considered  as  the  most  valua- 
ble part  of  the  shepherd's  goods,  having  been 
in  his  family  for  three  generations.  But  all 
these  were  lightly  esteemed  by  him,  in  com- 
parison of  another  possession  which,  added 
to  the  above,  made  up  the  whole  of  what  he 
had  inherited  from  his  father ;  and  which  last 
he  would  not  have  parted  with,  if  no  other 
could  have  been  had,  for  a  king's  ransom ; 
this  was  a  large  old  Bible,  which  lay  on  the 
window  seat  neatly  covered  with  brown  cloth, 
variously  patched.  This  sacred  book  was 
most  reverently  preserved  from  dogs'  ears, 
dirt,  and  every  other  injury,  but  such  as 
time  and  much  use  had  made  it  suffer,  in 
spite  of  care.  On  the  clean  white  walls  were 
pasted  a  hymn  on  the  crucifixion  of  our 
Saviour,  a  print  of  the  prodigal  son,  the 
shepherd's  hymn,  a  New  History  of  a  True 
Book,  and  patient  Joe. 

After  the  first  salutations  were  over,  Mr. 
Johnson  said,  that  if  they  would  go  on  quiet- 
ly with  their  dinner,  he  would  sit  down. 
Though  a  good  deal  ashamed,  they  thought 


22  SHEPHERD   OF 

it  more  respectful  to  obey  the  gentleman,  who 
having  cast  his  eye  on  their  slender  provisions, 
gently  rebuked  the  shepherd  for  not  having 
indulged  himself,   as  it  was  Sunday,  with  a 
morsel  of  bacon  to  relish  his  potatoes.     The 
shepherd  said  nothing,  but  poor  Mary  colour- 
ed and  hung  down  her  head,  saying,  Indeed, 
sir,  it  is  not  my  fault,  I  did  beg  my  husband 
to  allow  himself  a  bit  of  meat  to-day  out  of 
your  honour's  bounty;  but  he  was  too  good 
to  do  it,  and  it  is  all  for  my  sake.    The  shep- 
herd seemed  unwilling  to  come  to  an  expla- 
nation, but  Mr.  Johnson  desired  Mary  to  go 
on.     So  she  continued,  you  must  know,  sir, 
that  both  of  us,  next  to  a  sin,  dread  a  debt, 
and  indeed  in   some  cases,  a  debt  is  a  sin  ; 
but  with  all  our  care  and  pains  we  have  never 
been  able  quite  to  pay  off  the  doctor's  bill  for 
that  bad  fit  of  rheumatism  which  I  had  last 
winter.  Now,  when  you  were  pleased  to  give 
my  husband  that  kind  present  the  other  day, 
I  heartily  desired  him  to  buy  a  bit  of  meat  for 
Sunday,  as  I  said  before,  that  he  might  have 
a  little  refreshment  out  of  your  kindness.    But 
he  answered,  Mary,  it  is  never  out  of  my  mind 
long  together,  that  we  still  owe  a  few  shillings 
to  the  doctor  (and  thank  God,  it  was  all  we 
did  owe  in  the  world.)      Now  if  I  carry  him 
this  money  directly,  it  will  not  only  show  him 
our  honesty  and  our  good  will,  but  it  will  be 
an  encouragement  to  him  to  come  to  you 
another  time,   in  case  you  should  be  taken 
once  more  in  such  a  bad  fit;  for  I  must  owns 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  23 

added  my  poor  husband,that  the  thoi  ight  of  your 
being  so  terribly  ill,  without  any  help,  is  the 
only  misfortune  that  I  want  courage  to  face. 
Here  the  grateful  woman's  tears  ran  down 
so  fast  that  she  could  not  go  on.  She  wiped 
them  with  the  corner  of  her  apron,  and  hum- 
bly begged  pardon  for  making  so  free.  Indeed, 
sir,  said  the  shepherd,  though  my  wife  is  full 
as  unwilling  to  be  in  debt  as  myself,  yet  I 
could  hardly  prevail  on  her  to  consent  to  my 
paying  this  money  just  then,  because  she  said 
it  was  hard  I  should  not  have  a  taste  of  the 
gentleman's  bounty  myself.  But  for  once, 
sir,  I  would  have  my  own  way.  For  you 
must  know,  as  I  pass  the  best  part  of  my 
time  alone,  tending  my  sheep,  'tis  a  great  point 
with  me,  sir,  to  get  comfortable  matter  for 
my  own  thoughts ;  so  that  'tis  rather  self  in- 
terest in  me  to  allow  myself  no  pleasures  and 
no  practices,  that  wont  bear  thinking  on  over 
and  over.  For  when  one  is  a  good  deal  alone, 
you  know,  sir,  all  one's  bad  deeds  do  so  rush 
in  upon  one,  as  I  may  say,  and  so  torment 
one,  that  there  is  no  true  comfort  to  be 
had,  but  in  keeping  clear  of  wrong  doings, 
and  false  pleasures;  and  that,  I  suppose,  may 
be  one  reason,  why  so  many  folks  hate  to 
stay  a  bit  by  themselves.  But,  as  I  was  say- 
ing, when  I  came  to  think  the  matter  over  on 
the  hill  yonder,  said  I  to  myself,  a  good  din- 
ner is  a  good  thing,  I  grant,  and  yet  it  will  be 
but  cold  comfort  to  me  a  week  after,  to-  be 
able  to  say — to  be  sure  I  had  a  nice  shoulder 


24  SHEPHERD  OF 

of  mutton  last  Sunday  for  dinner,  thanks  to 
the  good  gentleman,  but  then  I  am  in  debt — 
I  had  a  rare  dinner,  that's  certain,  but  the 
pleasure  of  that  has  long  been  over,  and  the 
debt  still  remains — I  have  spent  the  crown, 
and  now,  if  my  poor  wife  should  be  taken  in 
one  of  those  fits  again,  die  she  must,  unless 
God  work  a  miracle  to  prevent  it,  for  I  can 
get  no  help  for  her.  This  thought  settled  all ; 
and  I  set  off  directly,  and  paid  the  crown  to 
the  doctor  with  as  much  cheerfulness  as  I 
should  have  felt  on  sitting  down  to  the  fattest 
shoulder  of  mutton  that  ever  was  roasted. 
And  if  I  was  contented  at  the  time,  think  how 
much  more  happy  I  have  been  at  the  remem- 
brance !  O,  sir,  there  are  no  pleasures  worth 
the  name,  but  such  as  bring  no  plague  or 
penitence  after  them.  Mr.  Johnson  was  satis- 
fied with  the  shepherd's  reasons :  and  agreed, 
that  though  a  good  dinner  was  not  to  be  de- 
spised, yet  it  was  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  a  contented  mind,  which  (as  the  Bible 
truly  says)  is  a  continual  feast.  But  come, 
said  the  good  gentleman,  what  have  we  got 
in  this  brown  mug  1  As  good  water,  said  the 
shepherd,  as  any  in  the  king's  dominions.  I 
have  heard  of  countries  beyond  sea,  in  which 
there  is  no  wholesome  water:  nay,  I  have 
been  myself  in  a  great  town,  not  far  off,  where 
they  are  obliged  to  buy  all  the  water  they  get, 
while  a  good  Providence  sends  to  my  very 
door  a  spring  as  clear  and  fine  as  Jacob's 
well.     When  I  am  tempted  to  repine  that  I 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  25 

have  often  no  other  drink,  I  call  to  mind,  that 
it  was  nothing  better  than  a  cup  of  cold  water, 
which  the  woman  of  Samaria  drew  for  the 
greatest  Guest  that  ever  visited  this  world. 

Very  well,  replied  Mr.  Johnson  j  but  as 
your  honesty  has  made  you  prefer  a  poor 
meal  to  being  in  debt,  I  will  at  least  send  and 
get  something  for  you  to  drink.  I  saw  a  little 
public  house  just  by  the  church  as  I  came 
along.  Let  that  little  rosy-faced  fellow  fetch 
a  mug  of  beer. 

So  saying,  he  looked  full  at  the  boy,  who 
did  not  offer  to  stir,  but  cast  an  eye  at  his  fa 
ther,  to  know  what  he  was  to  do.  Sir,  said 
the  shepherd,  I  hope  we  shall  not  appear 
ungrateful,  if  we  seem  to  refuse  your  favour; 
my  little  boy  would,  I  am  sure,  fly  to  serve 
you  on  any  other  occasion.  But,  good  sir, 
it  is  Sunday,  and  should  any  of  my  family  be 
seen  at  a  public  house  on  a  Sabbath  day,  it 
would  be  a  much  greater  grief  to  me  than  to 
drink  water  all  my  life.  I  am  often  talking 
against  these  doings  to  others,  and  if  I  should 
say  one  thing  and  do  another,  you  can't  think 
what  an  advantage  it  would  give  many  of  my 
neighbours  over  me,  who  would  be  glad 
enough  to  report,  that  they  caught  the  shep- 
herd's son  at  the  ale  house,  without  explain 
ing  how  it  happened.  Christians,  you  know, 
sir,  must  be  doubly  watchful,  or  they  will  not 
only  bring  disgrace  on  themselves,  but,  what 
is  much  worse,  on  that  holy  name  by  which 
they  are  called. 


26  SHEPHERD  C7 

Are  you  not  a  little  too  cautious,  my  honest 
friend  ?  said  Mr.  Johnson.  I  humbly  ask 
your  pardon,  sir,  replied  the  shepherd,  if  I 
think  that  impossible.  In  my  poor  notion  I 
no  more  understand  how  a  man  can  be  too 
cautious,  than  how  he  could  be  too  strong,  or 
too  healthy. 

You  are  right,  indeed,  said  Mr.  Johnson, 
as  a  general  principle,  but  this  struck  me  as 
a  very  small  thing.  Sir,  said  the  shepherd,  1 
am  afraid  you  will  think  me  very  bold,  but 
you  encourage  me  to  speak  out.  'Tis  what 
I  wish,  said  the  gentleman.  Then,  sir,  resum- 
ed the  shepherd,  I  doubt  if,  where  there  is  a 
temptation  to  do  wrong,  any  thing  can  be 
called  small ;  that  is,  in  short,  if  there  is  any 
such  thing  as  a  small  wilful  sin.  A  poor  man, 
like  me,  is  seldom  called  out  to  do  great 
things,  so  that  it  is  not  by  a  few  striking  deeds 
his  character  can  be  judged  by  his  neighbours, 
but  by  the  little  round  of  daily  customs  he 
allows  himself  in.  While  they  were  thus 
talking,  the  children,  who  had  stood  very 
quietly  behind,  and  had  not  stirred  a  foot,  now 
began  to  scamper  about  all  at  once,  and  in  a 
moment  ran  to  the  window  seat  to  pick  up 
their  little  old  hats.  Mr.  Johnson  looked  sur- 
prised at  their  disturbance ;  the  shepherd  asked 
his  pardon,  telling  him  it  was  the  sound  of 
the  church  bell,  which  had  been  the  cause  of 
their  rudeness  ;  for  their  mother  had  brought 
them  up  with  such  a  fear  of  being  too  late  for 
church,  that  it  was  but  who  could  catch  the  first 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  27 

stroke  of  the  bell,  and  oe  first  ready.  He 
always  taught  them  to  think  that  nothing  was 
more  indecent  than  to  get  into  church  after  it 
was  begun ;  for  as  the  service  opened  with 
an  exhortation  to  repentance,  and  a  confession 
of  sin,  it  looked  very  presumptuous  not  to  be 
ready  to  join  in  it  5  it  looked  as  if  people  did 
not  feel  themselves  to  be  sinners.  And  though 
such  as  lived  at  a  great  distance  might  plead 
difference  of  clocks  as  an  excuse,  yet  those 
who  lived  within  the  sound  of  the  bell  could 
pretend  neither  ignorance  nor  mistake. 

Mary  and  her  children  set  forward.  Mr. 
Johnson  and  the  shepherd  followed,  taking 
care  to  talk  the  whole  way  on  such  subjects, 
as  might  fit  them  for  the  solemn  duties  of  the 
place  to  which  they  were  going.  I  have  often 
been  sorry  to  observe,  said  Mr.  Johnson,  that 
many,  who  are  reckoned  decent,  good  kind  of 
people,  and  who  would  on  no  account  neglect 
going  to  church,  yet  seem  to  care  but  little  in 
what  frame  or  temper  of  mind  they  go  thither. 
They  will  talk  of  their  worldly  concerns  till 
they  get  within  the  door,  and  then  take  them 
up  again  the  very  minute  the  sermon  is  over, 
which  makes  me  ready  to  fear  they  lay  too 
much  stress  on  the  mere  form  of  going  to  a 
place  of  worship.  Now,  for  my  part,  I  al- 
ways find  that  it  requires  a  little  time  to  bring 
my  mind  into  a  state  fit  to  do  any  common 
business  well,  much  more  this  great  and  most 
necessary  business  of  all.  Yes,  sir,  said  the 
shepherd,  and  then  I  think,  too,  how  busy  I 


28  SHEPHERD  OP 

should  be  in  preparing  my  mind,  if  I  was  go- 
ing into  the  presence  of  a  great  gentleman, 
or  a  lord,  or  a  king;  and  shall  the  King  of 
kings  be  treated  with  less  respect?  Beside, 
one  likes  to  see  people  feel,  as  if  going  to 
church  was  a  thing  of  choice  and  pleasure,  as 
well  as  a  duty,  and  that  they  were  as  desirous 
not  to  be  the  last  there,  as  they  would  be  if 
they  were  going  to  a  feast  or  a  fair. 

After  service,  Mr.  Jenkins,  the  clergyman, 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  character 
of  Mr.  Johnson,  and  had  a  great  respect  for 
him,  accosted  him  with  much  civility ;  ex- 
pressing his  concern,  that  he  could  not  enjoy 
just  now,  so  much  of  his  conversation  as  he 
wished,  as  he  was  obliged  to  visit  a  sick  per- 
son at  a  distance,  but  hoped  to  have  a  little 
talk  with  him  before  he  left  the  village.  As 
they  walked  along  together,  Mr.  Johnson 
made  such  inquiries  about  the  shepherd,  as 
served  to  confirm  him  in  the  high  opinion  he 
entertained  of  his  piety,  good  sense,  industry, 
and  self  denial.  They  parted,  the  clergyman 
promising  to  call  in  at  the  cottage  in  his  way 
home. 

The  shepherd,  who  took  it  for  granted  that 
Mr.  Johnson  was  gone  to  the  parsonage, 
walked  home  with  his  wife  and  children,  and 
was  beginning  in  his  usual  way  to  catechise 
and  instruct  his  family,  when  Mr.  Johnson 
came  in,  and  insisted  that  the  shepherd  should 
go  on  with  his  instructions,  just  as  if  he  were 
not  there.     This  gentleman,  who  was  very 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  29 

desirous  of  being  useful  to  his  own  servants 
and  workmen,  in  the  way  of  religious  instruc- 
tion, was  sometimes  sorry  to  find,  that  though 
he  took  a  great  deal  of  pains,  they  did  not 
now  and  then  quite  understand  him ;  for 
though  his  meaning  was  very  good,  his  lan- 
guage was  not  always  very  plain:  and  though 
the  things  he  said  were  not  hard  to  be  under- 
stood, yet  the  words  were,  especially  to  such 
as  we're  very  ignorant.  And  he  now  began 
to  find  out,  that  if  people  were  ever  so  wise 
and  good,  yet  if  they  had  not  a  simple,  agree- 
able, and  familiar  way  of  expressing  them- 
selves, some  of  their  plain  hearers  would  not 
be  much  the  better  for  them.  For  this  reason 
he  was  not  above  listening  to  the  plain,  hum- 
ble way,  in  which  this  honest  man  taught  his 
family  ;  for  though  he  knew  that  he  himself 
had  many  advantages  over  the  shepherd, — 
had  more  learning,  and  could  teach  him  many 
things,  yet  he  was  not  too  proud  to  learn  even 
of  so  poor  a  man,  in  any  point  where  he 
thought  the  shepherd  might  have  the  advantage 
of  him. 

This  gentleman  was  much  pleased  with  the 
knowledge  and  piety  he  discovered  in  the  an- 
swers of  the  children ;  and  desired  the  shep- 
herd to  tell  him  how  he  contrived  to  keep  up 
a  sense  of  Divine  things  in  his  own  mind  and 
in  that  of  his  family  with  so  little  leisure  and 
so  little  reading.  O,  as  to  that,  sir,  said  the 
shepherd,  we  do  not  read  much  except  in  one 
book,  to  be  sure ;  but  by  hearty  prayer  for 


SO  SHEPHERD  OF 

God's  blessing  on  the  use  of  that  book,  what 
little  knowledge  is  needful  seems  to  come  of 
course,  as  it  were  ;  and  my  chief  study  has 
been  to  bring  the  fruits  of  the  Sunday  reading 
into  the  week's  business,  and  so  keep  up  the 
same  sense  of  God  in  the  heart,  when  the 
Bible  is  in  the  cupboard,  as  when  it  is  in  the 
hand.  In  short,  to  apply  what  I  read  in  the 
book  to  what  I  meet  in  the  field. 

I  don't  quite  understand  you,  said  Mr. 
Johnson.  Sir,  replied  the  shepherd,  I  have 
but  a  poor  gift  at  conveying  these  things  to 
others,  though  I  have  much  comfort  from 
them  in  my  own  mind ;  but  I  am  sure  that  the 
most  ignorant  and  hard-working  people,  who 
are  in  earnest  about  their  salvation,  may  help 
to  keep  up  devout  thoughts  and  good  affec- 
tions during  the  week,  though  they  have  hardly 
any  time  to  look  at  a  book.  And  it  will  help 
them  to  keep  out  bad  thoughts,  too,  which  is 
no  small  matter.  But  then  they  must  know 
the  Bible ;  they  must  have  read  the  word  of 
God :  that  is  a  kind  of  stock  in  trade  for  a 
Christian  to  set  up  with:  and  it  is  this,  which 
makes  me  so  diligent  in  teaching  it  to  my 
children,  and  even  in  storing  their  memories 
with  psalms  and  chapters.  This  is  a  great 
help  to  a  poor  hard-working  man,  who  will 
scarcely  meet  with  any  thing,  but  what  he 
may  turn  to  some  good  account.  If  one  lives 
in  the  fear  and  love  of  God,  almost  every 
thing  one  sees  abroad  will  teach  one  to  adore 
his  power  and  goodness,  and  bring  to  mind 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  31 

some  text  of  Scripture,  which  shall  fill  the 
heart  with  thankfulness,  and  the  mouth  with 
praise.  When  I  look  upward,  the  heavens 
declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  shall  I  be  silent 
and  ungrateful  1  If  I  look  round  and  see  the 
valleys  standing  thick  with  corn,  how  can  I 
help  blessing  that  Power,  who  giveth  me  all 
things  richly  to  enjoy?  I  may  learn  gratitude 
from  the  beasts  of  the  field,  for  the  ox  know- 
eth  his  owner ,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib, 
and  shall  a  Christian  not  know,  shall  a  Chris- 
tian not  consider  what  great  things  God  has 
done  for  him  1  I,  who  am  a  shepherd,  endea- 
vour to  fill  my  soul  with  a  constant  remem- 
brance of  that  good  Shepherd,  who  feed  eth  me 
in  green  pastures,  and  maketh  me  to  lie  down 
beside  the  still  waters,  and  ivhose  rod  and  staff 
comfort  me. 

You  are  happy,  said  Mr.  Johnson,  in  this 
retired  life,  by  which  you  escape  the  corrup- 
tions of  the  world.  Sir,  said  the  shepherd,  I 
do  not  escape  the  corruptions  of  my  own  evil 
nature.  Even  there,  on  that  wild,  solitary 
hill,  I  can  find  out  that  my  heart  is  prone  to 
evil  thoughts.  I  suppose,  sir,  that  different 
states  have  different  temptations.  You  great 
folks  that  live  in  the  world,  perhaps,  are  ex- 
posed to  some,  of  which  such  a  poor  man  as 
I  am,  know  nothing.  But,  to  one  who  leads 
a  lonely  life  like  me,  evil  thoughts  are  a  chief 
besetting  sin ;  and  I  can  no  more  withstand 
these  without  the  grace  of  God,  than  a  rich 
gentleman  can  withstand  the  snares  of  evi] 
3 


82  SHEPHERD  OF 

company,  without  the  same  grace.  And  I 
feel  that  I  stand  in  need  of  God's  help  con- 
tinually, and,  if  he  should  give  me  up  to  my 
own  evil  heart,  I  should  be  lost. 

Mr.  Johnson  approved  of  the  shepherd's 
sincerity,  for  he  had  always  observed,  that 
where  there  was  no  humility,  and  no  watch- 
fulness against  sin,  there  was  no  religion:  and 
he  said,  that  the  man  who  did  not  feel  himself 
to  be  a  sinner,  in  his  opinion,  could  not  be  a 
Christian. 

Just  as  they  were  in  this  part  of  their  dis- 
course, Mr.  Jenkins,  the  clergyman,  came  in. 
After  the  usual  salutations,  he  said,  well, 
shepherd,  I  wish  you  joy :  I  know  you  will 
be  sorry  to  gain  any  advantage  by  the  death 
of  a  neighbour ;  but  old  Wilson,  my  clerk, 
was  so  infirm,  and  I  trust,  so  well  prepared, 
that  there  is  no  reason  to  be  sorry  for  his 
death.  I  have  been  to  pray  by  him,  but  he 
died  while  I  stayed.  I  have  always  intended 
you  should  succeed  to  his  place;  'tis  no  great 
matter  of  profit,  but  every  little  is  something. 

No  great  matter!  sir,  cried  the  shepherd; 
indeed  it  is  a  great  matter  to  me;  'twill  more 
than  pay  my  rent.  Blessed  be  God  for  all 
his  goodness.  Mary  said  nothing,  but  lifted 
up  her  eyes,  full  of  tears,  in  silent  gratitude. 

I  am  glad  of  this  little  circumstance,  said 
Mr.  Jenkins,  not  only  for  your  sake,  but  for 
the  sake  of  the  office  itself.  I  so  heartily  re- 
verence every  religious  institution,  that  I 
would  never  have  even  the  Amen  added  U 


SALISBURY   PLAIN.  33 

the  excellent  prayers  of  our  Church,  by  vain 
or  profane  lips ;  and  if  it  depended  on  me, 
there  should  be  no  such  thing  in  the  land  as 
an  idle,  drunken,  or  irreligious  parish  clerk. 
Sorry  I  am  to  say,  that  this  matter  is  not  al- 
ways sufficiently  attended  to,  and  that  I  know 
some  of  a  very  different  character. 

Mr.  Johnson  now  inquired  of  the  clergyman, 
whether  there  were  many  children  in  the  pa- 
rish. More  than  you  would  expect,  replied 
he,  from  the  seeming  smallness  of  it,  but  there 
are  some  little  hamlets  which  you  do  not  see. 
I  think,  returned  Mr.  Johnson,  I  recollect, 
that  in  the  conversation  I  had  with  the  shep- 
herd on  the  hill  yonder,  he  told  me  you  had 
no  Sunday  school.  I  am  sorry  to  say  we 
have  none,  said  the  minister:  I  do  what  I  can 
to  remedy  this  misfortune  by  public  catechis- 
ing; but  having  two  or  three  churches  to 
serve,  I  cannot  give  so  much  time  as  I  wish 
to  private  instruction;  and  having  a  large 
family  of  my  own,  and  no  assistance  from 
others,  I  have  never  been  able  to  establish  a 
school. 

There  is  an  excellent  institution  in  London, 
said  Mr.  Johnson,  called  the  Sunday-School 
Society,  which  kindly  gives  books  and  other 
helps,  on  the  application  of  such  pious  minis- 
ters, as  stand  in  need  of  their  aid,  and  which 
1  am  sure  would  have  assisted  you ;  but,  I 
think  we  shall  be  able  to  do  something  our- 
selves. Shepherd,  continued  he,  if  I  were  a 
king,  and  had  it  in  my  power  to  make  you  a 


84  SHEPHERD  OF 

rich  and  a  great  man,  with  a  word  speaking, 
I  would  not  do  it.  Those  who  are  raised  by 
some  sudden  stroke  much  above  the  station 
in  which  Divine  Providence  had  placed  them, 
seldom  turn  out  good  or  very  happy.  I  have 
never  had  any  great  things  in  my  power,  but 
as  far  as  I  have  been  able,  I  have  been  al- 
ways glad  to  assist  the  worthy  ;  I  have,  how- 
ever, never  attempted  or  desired  to  set  any 
poor  man  much  above  his  natural  condition; 
but  it  is  a  pleasure  to  me  to  lend  him  such 
assistance,  as  may  make  that  condition  more 
easy  to  himself,  and  to  put  him  in  a  way, 
which  shall  call  him  to  the  performance  of 
more  duties,  than  perhaps  he  could  have  per- 
"ormed  without  my  help,  and  of  performing 
them  in  a  better  manner.  What  rent  do  you 
pay  for  this  cottage  1 

Fifty  shillings  a  year,  sir. 

It  is  in  a  sad,  tattered  condition  ;  is  there 
not  a  better  to  be  had  in  the  village? 

That  in  which  the  poor  clerk  lived,  said 
the  clergyman,  is  not  only  more  tight  and 
whole,  but  has  two  decent  chambers,  and  a 
very  large,  light  kitchen.  That  will  be  very 
convenient,  replied  Mr.  Johnson,  pray  what 
is  the  rent?  I  think,  said  the  shepherd,  poor 
neighbour  Wilson  gave  some  where  about 
four  pounds  a  year,  or  it  might  be  guineas. 
Very  well,  said  Mr.  Johnson,  and  what  will 
the  clerk's  place  be  worth,  think  you  ?  About 
three  pounds  was  the  answer. 

Noiv,  continued  Mr.  Johnson,  my  plan  is, 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  35 

.that  the  shepherd  should  take  that  house  im- 
mediately ;  for  as  the  poor  man  is  dead,  there 
will  be  no  need  of  waiting  till  quarter  day,  if 
I  make  up  the  difference.  True,  sir,  said  Mr. 
Jenkins,  and  I  am  sure  my  wife's  father,  whom 
I  expect  to-morrow,  will  willingly  assist  a 
little  toward  buying  some  of  the  clerk's  old 
goods.  And  the  sooner  they  remove,  the 
better,  for  poor  Mary  caught  that  bad  rheu- 
matism by  sleeping  under  a  leaky  thatch. — 
The  shepherd  was  too  much  moved  to  speak, 
and  Mary  could  hardly  sob  out,  O,  sir,  you 
are  too  good  ;  indeed  this  house  will  do  very 
well.  It  may  do  very  well  for  you  and  your 
poor  children,  Mary,  said  Mr.  Johnson,  grave- 
ly, but  it  will  not  do  for  a  school ;  the  kitchen 
is  neither  large  nor  light  enough.  Shepherd 
continued  he,  with  your  good  minister's  leave 
and  kind  assistance,  I  propose  to  set  up  in 
this  parish  a  Sunday  school,  and  to  make  you 
the  master.  It  will  not  interfere  with  your 
weekly  calling,  and  is  the  only  lawful  way 
in  which  you  can  turn  the  Sabbath  into  a  day 
of  some  little  profit  to  your  family,  by  doing, 
as  I  hope,  a  great  deal  of  good  to  the  souls 
of  others.  The  rest  of  the  week  you  will 
work  as  usual.  The  difference  of  rent  be- 
tween this  house  and  the  clerk's,  I  shall  pay 
myself;  for  to  put  you  in  a  better  house  at 
your  own  expense  would  be  no  great  kind- 
ness. As  for  honest  Mary,  who  is  not  fit  for 
hard  labour,  or  any  out-of-door-work,  I  pro- 
pose to  fndow  a  small  weekly  school,  o! 


SS  SHEPHERD   OF 

which  she  shall  be  the  mistress,  and  employ 
her  notable  turn  to  good  account,  by  teaching 
ten  or  a  dozen  girls  to  knit,  sew,  spin,  card, 
or  any  other  useful  way  of  getting  their  bread ; 
for  all  this  I  shall  only  pay  her  the  usual 
price,  for  I  am  not  going  to  make  you  rich, 
but  useful. 

Not  rich,  sir  !  cried  the  shepherd.  How 
can  I  ever  be  thankful  enough  for  such  bless- 
ings? And  will  my  poor  Mary  have  a  dry 
thatch  over  her  head  1  and  shall  I  be  able  to 
send  for  the  doctor,  when  I  am  like  to  lose 
her  ?  Indeed  my  cup  runs  over  with  bless- 
ings. I  hope  God  will  give  me  humility. — 
Here  he  and  Mary  looked  at  each  other  and 
burst  into  tears.  The  gentlemen  saw  their 
distress,  and  kindly  walked  out  upon  the  green 
before  the  door,  that  these  honest  people  might 
give  vent  to  their  feelings.  As  soon  as  they 
were  alone,  they  crept  into  one  corner  of  the 
room,  where  they  thought  they  could  not  be 
seen,  and  fell  on  their  knees,  devoutly  bless- 
ing and  praising  God  for  his  mere  les.  Never 
were  heartier  prayers  presented  than  this 
grateful  couple  offered  up  for  their  benefac- 
tors. The  warmth  of  heir  gratitude  could 
only  be  equalled  by  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  besought  the  blessing  of  God  on 
the  work  in  which  they  were  going  to  engage. 

The  two  gentlemen  now  left  this  happy  fa- 
mily, and  walked  to  the  parsonage,  where 
the  evening  was  spent  in  a  manner  very  edi- 
fying to  Mr.  Johnson,  who  the  next  day  took 


SALISBURY    PLAIN.  37 

all  proper  measures  for  putting  the  shepherd 
in  immediate  possession  of  his  new,  comforta- 
ble habitation.  Mr.  Jenkins's  father-in-law, 
the  worthy  gentleman  who  gave  the  shep- 
herd's wife  the  blankets,  in  the  first  part  of 
this  history,  arrived  at  the  parsonage  before 
Mr.  Johnson  left  it,  and  assisted  in  fitting  up 
the  clerk's  cottage. 

Mr.  Johnson  took  his  leave,  promising  to 
call  on  the  worthy  minister  and  his  new  clerk 
once  a  year,  in  his  summer's  journey  over 
the  plain,  as  long  as  it  would  please  God  to 
spare  his  life.  We  hope  he  will  never  fail 
to  give  us  an  account  of  these  visits,  which 
we  shall  be  glad  to  lay  before  our  readers  j 
if  they  should  contain  instruction  or  amuse- 
ment. 


Sb  SHEPHERD    OF   SALISBURY    PLAIN. 


HYMN. 

Life  is  the  time  to  serve  the  Lord, 
The  time  t'  insure  the  great  reward ; 
And  while  the  lamp  holds  out  to  burn, 
The  vilest  sinner  may  return. 

Life  is  the  hour  that  God  hath  given, 
To  'scape  from  hell,  and  fly  to  heaven ; 
The  day  of  grace,  and  mortals  may 
Secure  the  blessings  of  the  day. 

The  living  know  that  they  must  die ; 
But  all  the  dead  forgotten  lie  ; 
Their  memory  and  their  sense  is  gone, 
Alike  unknowing  and  unknown. 

Their  hatred  and  their  love  is  lost, 
Their  envy  buried  in  the  dust ; 
They  have  no  share  in  all  that's  done 
Beneath  the  circuit  of  the  sun. 

Then  what  my  thoughts  design  to  do, 
My  hands  with  all  your  might  pursue ; 
Since  no  device  nor  work  is  found, 
Nor  faith  nor  hope  beneath  the  ground. 

There  are  no  acts  of  pardon  pass'd 
In  the  cold  grave  to  which  we  haste ; 
But  darkness,  death,  and  long  despair, 
Reign  in  eternal  silence  there. 


THE    END. 


